The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 eBook

in thus slaughtering his foes, his bow, the back of
whose staff was ornamented with gold, Yudhishthira,
the son of Pandu, O sire, cut off into three parts
with a pair of broad-headed shafts. And Yudhishthira
pierced Duryodhana himself with ten keen arrows shot
with great force. Piercing through Duryodhana’s
vital limbs, those passed out and entered the earth
in a continuous line. The troops that stood around
then encompassed Yudhishthira, like the celestials
encompassing Purandara for the slaughter of Vritra.
Then king Yudhishthira, O sire, who is incapable of
being easily defeated, shot at thy son in that battle
a fierce shaft. Deeply pierced therewith, Duryodhana
sat down on his excellent car. Then a loud noise
arose from among the Panchala troops. Even this,
O monarch, was that tremendous uproar, viz.,
‘The king is slain!’ The fierce whizz
of arrows also was heard there, O Bharata. Then
Drona quickly showed himself there in that battle.
Meanwhile, Duryodhana recovering his senses, had firmly
grasped the bow. He then rushed towards the royal
son of Pandu saying, ‘Wait, Wait.’
Then the Panchalas also solicitous of victory, began
to advance with speed. Desirous of rescuing the
Kuru prince, Drona received them all. And the
preceptor began to destroy them like the bright-rayed
maker of day destroying tempest-tossed clouds.
Then, O king, there occurred a fierce battle, fraught
with immense carnage, between thine and theirs encountering
one another from desire of fight.’”

SECTION CLIII

“Dhritarashtra said, ’Having said all
those words unto my son, Duryodhana, who is ever disobedient
to my commands, when that mighty bowman endued with
great strength, viz., the preceptor Drona, penetrated
in wrath into the Pandava host, and when that hero,
stationed on his car, careered over the field, how
did the Pandavas check his course? Who protected
the right wheel of the preceptor’s car in that
dreadful battle? Who also protected his left
when he fiercely slaughtered the foe? Who were
those brave warriors that followed that fighting hero
at his back? Who were those, then, that stood
in front of that car-warrior? When that unvanquished
and great bowman, that foremost of all bearers of weapons,
dancing along the track of his car, entered the Pandavas
host, I think, his foes felt an excessive and unseasonable
cold. I think, they trembled like kine exposed
to wintry blasts. How did that bull among car-warriors,
who consumed all the troops of the Panchalas like a
raging conflagration, meet with his death?’